Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of tuning peg constructions in general and in particular to freely rotating tuning plug constructions that must be manipulated in a particular manner to effect the tuning of a musical instrument.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,367,671; 1,443,486; 5,381,715; and, 3,830,132, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse musical instrument tuning devices.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical tuning peg construction which, once adjusted, will immediately revert to a free-wheeling mode so that the peg setting cannot be accidentally displaced to get the instrument out of tune.
As most musicians are all too well aware, one of the most difficult and vexing problems that they encounter in their musical pursuits is the task of keeping their string instruments in tune.
Invariably, when using conventional tuning pegs which are tightened or loosened to achieve the proper tuning of the string, the tightening mechanism becomes displaced during transport or handling requiring repeated re-tightenings of the instruments.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need among musicians for a new and improved tuning peg construction that once properly adjusted assumes a free-wheeling mode that prevents any inadvertent displacement of the tuning peg; and, the provision of such a construction is the stated objective of the present invention.
Briefly stated, the improved tuning peg construction that forms the basis of the present invention comprises in general a peg unit, a tuning knob unit, an axle unit and a spring biasing unit wherein the spring biasing unit surrounds the axle unit which provides the operative connection between the peg unit and the tuning knob unit so that the knob unit can be free-wheeling or selectively engaged with the tuning peg unit.
As will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification, the tuning peg unit includes a tuning peg member having a threaded shaft that engages a toothed gear attached to the conventional tuning peg to vary the tone of the string wherein the other end of the tuning peg member is provided with a contoured post that is selectively engaged by a portion of the knob unit.
The knob unit includes an enlarged knob member having an elongated aperture dimensioned to receive the axle unit and allow for reciprocation of the knob member relative to the axle unit; wherein the inboard end of the knob member is provided with a contoured recess dimensioned to frictionally receive the contoured post of the tuning peg member to rotate the tuning peg member relative to the musical instrument.
In addition, the spring unit surrounds the axle unit and normally biases the knob member into a free-wheeling disengaged relationship relative to the tuning peg member to maintain the position of the tuning peg member relative to the tuned string on the instrument.